Chapter 86: Mistaken for a Criminal (1) |
***
Immediately after hearing my solution.
The Diocesan Head tilted his head.
"How can that be a solution?"
The Diocesan Head asked me to stop the Manpower Leak from the infirmaries.
But I suddenly proposed building an Infirmary where everyone could learn equally.
It was natural that he didn't understand the connection.
So I explained it step by step.
"Right now, all the healers are leaving their infirmaries to learn my techniques, aren't they?"
"Then rather than having the healers from the infirmaries come here to learn, I'm proposing we complete their training at the Academy and send them to those infirmaries."
"Aha...!"
The existing infirmaries are, to use an analogy from my previous life, akin to primary and secondary hospitals.
Their purpose is not Healer Training.
Their main objective is simply to accept healers who have graduated from the Academy to expand their sect's size or increase their profits.
That's why I'm suggesting we build a Tertiary Hospital.
A system where students go straight from the Academy to training to complete their education as healers.
If we supply those healers to the infirmaries, there will be no need for them to start a Resignation Relay to learn from me.
Because if they just wait a few years, healers with fresh knowledge will come to them from the Academy.
The Diocesan Head seemed to understand.
"They'll start with observation while they are still Academy students, undergo further training immediately after graduation, and then enter society. Is that the right way to understand it?"
"Exactly, Diocesan Head."
"Then, what kind of compensation should The Order provide for the Saint's knowledge..."
"No compensation is necessary."
"But..."
"The infirmary itself is my compensation."
Building a hospital isn't something that costs just a penny or two.
I can somehow manage to build the building with my own assets.
Hiring manpower is also possible if I ask the guild for help.
But if it becomes a 'research'-focused infirmary, the cost enters another digit class.
Research is a hippo that eats an enormous amount of money.
If The Order doesn't back me, there's no way I can handle it alone.
"I want a place where students who aspire to be healers can learn equally, regardless of their social status."
"May I ask why you came to have such thoughts?"
"If I had restricted myself to social status when raising a disciple, how could I have found such a Giant Tree?"
My hand paused as I was about to pat Ayla's head, who was sitting next to me.
I almost patted her head without permission.
Instead of patting her head, I pointed at Ayla.
"Not every sprout becomes a giant tree. But to raise a giant tree, you must water every sprout to find out, don't you think?"
Medicine is, in the end, a labor-intensive activity.
It means the more manpower available to save a single person, the better.
In fact, just look at this clinic, isn't that true?
When I ran the clinic alone, stitching up a face was my high point, and the number of people I could see in a day was barely over 50.
But once other healers joined, I could even open skulls and, for the first time in a while, cut into intestines.
The number of patients I can see a day is approaching nearly 100.
So, if I build an infirmary that isn't bound by sects, I might be able to perform even more surgeries.
Who knows.
Maybe later, I'll even be able to perform heart surgery, my old major, again.
"B-But then the Saint gains nothing, does he? At the very least, demanding that other infirmaries share their secret arts with the Saint..."
"The other infirmaries don't need to share their secret arts with me."
In fact, I'd rather they didn't.
I'm not teaching healers indiscriminately as charity work.
It's true my workload decreases as they learn my surgical techniques, but,
the biggest reason was to monopolize elite personnel.
'Because in this era, I'm the only one who knows the power of open source.'
The attitude toward knowledge in this era is still stuck at an 18th-century level, at best.
Precious knowledge is monopolized, exchanged only occasionally through small academic societies or letters.
But having lived in the 21st Century, I know well that the strength of knowledge comes from sharing, not monopolizing.
If I'm the only one in the world to release a specific tool or knowledge, all the healers in the world will have no choice but to become proficient in my methods.
When that happens, I only need to hire the best among them,
so later, there will be no need to painstakingly cultivate talent from scratch.
In other words, now, when there are no competitors, is the perfect time to make my methods the industry standard.
Plus, there's a promotional effect.
When others are hoarding their knowledge, if I'm the only one sharing, it has the effect of making me look like I'm at the forefront.
I can gain an advantage in the talent auction, too.
That's why I was actually hoping the infirmaries wouldn't share their knowledge.
'In fact, this is just a stopgap measure.'
Doing this now will probably stop the manpower leak.
The infirmaries will be grateful to me.
But in the distant future, when they come to their senses, I will have monopolized all the world-class healers.
This infirmary was the cornerstone for that.
'In the end, it all comes back to buying at a low point.'
The Orphan Lottery I was running in Limbus Pit.
The Scholarship Student Lottery I was running in Civitas Square.
Shallot's first Rival-d'or.
This infirmary project can be seen as an extension of that.
A way to monopolize elite personnel in the distant future, without lowering the goodwill of the infirmaries.
A very secret and meticulous talent monopoly plan.
"The infirmaries can keep their secret arts. I repeat, I only hope that this infirmary becomes a place where all students of the Academy's Department of Healing can observe, and where all healers can apply, regardless of their sect."
"Saint...!"
Unfortunately, the naive Diocesan Head didn't seem to notice my wicked(?) plan.
Instead, he clasped his hands together as if I were some virtuous sage and spoke.
"To think that there is still someone under these dark clouds who would empty their own name to ease the suffering of others. Truly, it seems the sun is not only in the sky."
I wore a bitter smile behind my mask.
If you keep praising me like that, it's too embarrassing.
Even Ayla, who had been stiff just a moment ago, was looking at me with sparkling eyes.
"I will speak well of this to The Order, somehow."
"Thank you, Diocesan Head."
*
After that day, I spent some slightly busy time.
I frequently exchanged letters with the Holy See, and discussions about the establishment of the Academy-Affiliated Neutral Infirmary took place.
— [They say the Holy See will send healers directly right after the infirmary is established.]
— [Saint. I believe there is an error in the costs you sent. At this rate, the infirmary would be the size of a village... What? You want it to be that size? Are you perhaps trying to build a Healing Village instead of an infirmary?]
— [The Empire's Side, which manages the Academy fortress, has also readily agreed. They say they will provide the Academy grounds.]
There was a small, trivial trouble in between.
It was about who would become the Infirmary Director.
When I declined, saying I intended to work in the field myself, a fierce competition apparently broke out between the factions within the Holy See.
In the end, Cardinal Wendras, who has the most influence in the healing arts, was said to have taken the position.
[Have you by any chance decided on a name for the infirmary?]
Of course, I had.
Schnabel Infirmary is a bit awkward.
And Black Saint Infirmary is too ominous.
So the name I decided on was—
"How about the Meyer Clinic?"
Meyer.
The family name of our Guild Master, Gustav Meyer.
Why did I choose him of all people?
— "Director? You're building an infirmary and asking me to donate voluntarily? Isn't this the time to spread the name of this Gustav Meyer far and wide!"
Just like his nouveau riche personality.
When I said it was an opportunity to promote his name, he donated the most.
He invested slightly more than I did, so,
to honor his wishes, I named it the 'Meyer Clinic'.
— "Hahaha! Let's build a suite on the top floor, and a restaurant on the 1st floor too!"
There ended up being some strange expenditures, but...
I didn't particularly try to stop him.
Originally, hospitals make money not from medical bills, but from auxiliary facilities (like funeral halls or parking lots).
Facilities like those are indeed necessary.
Anyway, the establishment plan was roughly decided.
[They say it seems we can open around the year after next.]
The work processing went faster than I thought.
I wonder if it's because it's a world with magic and sturdy different species.
They said two years is enough to whip up a building.
Of course, the fact that so much capital was invested is also a reason.
[Saint. Could you please tell us the inscription to be carved on the front door?]
Finally, before starting the full-scale construction.
I decided on the inscription to be hung on the front door.
This, too, was naturally decided.
"Knowledge shall make you pious."
Yes. That's right.
It's plagiarism.
But if you're a doctor, you can't resist this.
Of course, Cardinal Wendras on the other end of the communicator seemed to have misunderstood again.
[As expected of the Saint, the meaning you put into a single sentence is extraordinary. It's enough to make theologians who have studied scripture their entire life yield.]
Setting aside the Cardinal's flattery.
Anyway, that's how the Meyer Clinic's establishment plan was completed.
After finishing the discussion.
In my room, I picked up another letter that the Head Butler had delivered.
[Lord Yulian. The establishment of the Academy's black magic course is complete. Now, as soon as you submit your academic paper, I will have you appointed as a professor.]
It was a letter from Imperial Prince Edmund.
It seems he ended up persuading the House of Nobles, The Order, and even the Magic Management Bureau.
Anyway, his ability to take action is incredible.
'Somehow, it looks like I'll be living at the Academy now.'
Professor of Defense Against Black Magic, Yulian Nihilrit.
Professor of Clinical Healing, Doctor Schnabel.
An unintentional double life at the Academy was decided.
'Well, it'll be easier to create an alibi.'
In a way, it might not be all bad news.
Originally, the Academy's Undergraduate Division is located in a fortress a bit far from the capital.
Imperial Eschenwald Academy.
Just like the convention in common fantasy academy stories, befitting its fame as the world's best educational institution, an entire fortress is the Academy's campus.
While Yulian was working there as a professor of black magic, Director Schun had been wondering how to create an alibi.
With Director Schun also becoming a professor like this, creating an alibi became much easier.
'It'll be a bit tough, though.'
But this is the fate of a medical school professor, anyway.
See patients in the morning and do research in the evening.
And occasionally give lectures too.
I was no different.
Besides, I tried to become a professor in my previous life knowing all that.
'Then...'
Director Schun becoming an infirmary professor is a done deal.
All that's left is to write the academic paper I'd been putting off.
To become a professor at Eschenwald Academy, I need to submit at least one paper to the Arcane Olympiad.
'The data collection is done.'
I'd been collecting data in my spare time ever since I decided to write the paper.
The research topic is 'The Status of Lead Poisoning in the Empire.'
Lead concentration in the atmosphere, citizens' blood lead levels, the status of lead poisoning among wizards...
Obtaining this kind of data was easy.
Because patients at the Merkur Clinic provide the data themselves.
It was a simple matter of just adding a bit of investigation to it.
'If I just organize the data and start writing the paper tomorrow...'
I might still be able to make the schedule for this year's Arcane Olympiad.
'I must complete a paper that even Teacher will be proud of.'
Teacher will praise me for the first time in a while.
Since Teacher is the Head Judge of the Arcane Olympiad.
I will complete a paper of a quality he can be proud of.
'Alright, for the title...'
The most important thing in a paper is drawing aggro.
Sadly, judges are people too.
If the paper's title doesn't catch the judges' eyes, no matter how well-written it is, it's bound to get buried.
There was a professor like that at my school, too.
The same paper.
To the extent that a real case exists where the evaluation in an academic journal changed just by changing the title's aggro.
That person said it back then.
In the end, scholars are no different from web novel writers or YouTubers.
In that sense, the title's aggro was a serious matter.
And after much deliberation, I wrote down the title.
'The Alchemy That Brainwashes Wizards, The Dangers of the Catalyst—Lead.'
With this, the judges will surely read it with interest.
They are wizards too, and they probably handle lead often.
The paper warns about the possibility of them being brainwashed.
How could they resist reading it?
'Alright. Now...'
Just as I was roughly outlining the paper.
Tiriring~
A cheerful notification sound rang from the crystal orb.
It was Wangcho.
"This late at night?"
I tilted my head and turned on the crystal orb.
Could something serious have happened?
Could something have happened to the patients at the D-1 Clinic?
With a trembling heart, I turned on the crystal orb.
[T-Teacher.]
"Wangcho, what is it?"
[Well, sir, um... do you know Rax?]
I nodded.
Rax.
It's a cleaning chemical I developed back when I was doing vaccine research with Teacher.
I developed it during a break to cool my head while working on a vaccine.
Making it was easy.
If you live in the 21st century, everyone has to make Rax at some point, right?
Just kidding.
When you go to provide aid at disaster sites, you have to make Rax so often that you naturally learn the recipe.
If you have the facilities, you just stir some chlorine gas and sodium carbonate and it's made.
In places without even that, you can pass electricity through salt water to make a crude Rax-like substance.
Honestly, it was incredibly tough back then.
That damn advising professor.
He'd always say, "Let's go for overseas training," and then kidnap me to a disaster site.
Of course, I did learn various trauma techniques there, and he'd buy me delicious food on the way back, so my anger would quickly cool down.
Thinking back, that human might have been planning to kidnap me into trauma surgery since then.
Anyway.
"What about Rax? Did you perhaps drink it?"
[No... I didn't drink it.]
Wangcho shook his head.
Thankfully, he wasn't that much of a blockhead.
From the start, the guild wrote it on the label when they sold Rax.
Do not put it in a watering can and spray it.
Do not mix with warm water.
Do not drink.
Do not wash with this...
I even made it a guild manual to have them recite the warning notice whenever people buy it.
I wrote out the warning and, wary of the illiterate issue, even drew pictures.
Even drawing a red X over it.
"Then why are you suddenly bringing up Rax?"
[Well... Rax is popular these days, isn't it?]
"It is?"
Rax has suddenly started selling well lately.
In the past, no one bought it.
I guess it's because it's a world where concepts like germs and hygiene haven't spread yet.
I launched it, but no one actually sought out Rax.
Only then did I belatedly realize.
To sell Rax, I first had to teach people the concept of germs and the necessity of hygiene.
Thanks to that, Rax was being called 'Director Schun's first failed work' by the public.
I just lived on, bitterly chewing over my first failure and forgetting about it.
But that same Rax suddenly started to become a fad.
The reason was the healers.
— "Rax is an excellent Divine Magic catalyst!"
Less divine power is consumed in a room cleaned with Rax.
A rumor like that spread through the healers who had visited my clinic.
After that day, Rax suddenly became the 'Undrinkable Holy Water' and started to become a fad.
They don't know about germs or hygiene.
It started selling for superstitious reasons.
Since Rax is cheap enough for even the poor to buy,
the residents of Limbus Pit would buy it and spray it in their homes.
Anyway.
Over the crystal orb, Wangcho hesitated and spoke.
[Well, sir... I heard you can wash food with Rax...]
That is true.
You can wash fruits and vegetables with a diluted Rax solution.
It was a method used even in the 21st century.
However, the solution has to be an extremely diluted one of about 0.002%,
it's only possible for some vegetables with tough skins,
and it comes with the strict condition that you must rinse it thoroughly with water after washing.
If you're not sure, it's best not to keep it near food at all.
"Then did you perhaps not wash it enough with water?"
[That's not it...]
"?"
Why is he beating around the bush like this?
Wangcho rubbed his stomach and watched my reaction.
Then.
[Well, the fruit shop owner told me you can use Rax on food. And as it happened, today my subordinate mentioned that it gets rid of the gamey smell of meat well, you know? So... and you know how I go crazy for raw meat, right?]
"...No way."
Nod.
[I used a bit... and my stomach's been hurting a little today.]
"You said you didn't eat it?"
[Of course I didn't eat the Rax. I did apply a slightly strong concentration of Rax to the meat, but...]
"Isn't that the same as eating it?"
[I didn't eat the Rax. I washed it thoroughly and ate the meat.]
"..."
So.
He sprinkled undiluted Rax to get rid of the meat's gamey smell?
And because he washed it diligently with water, he thinks it's the same as not eating Rax?
"..."
[I was thinking maybe I just got an upset stomach from the raw meat... hehe...]
Beyond the crystal orb.
Wangcho was grinning sheepishly.
He seemed to believe he got sick from the raw meat, not the Rax.
In that moment, my first meeting with Wangcho suddenly came to mind.
The king of D-Sector who had explosive diarrhea after taking several pills of his gout medicine, Colchicine, at once.
I stared silently at the Hyena Beastkin for a while and thought for a moment.
I wondered if treating a bastard like this was eugenically the right thing to do.
